Feed-water regulator



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,317

v. v. vEENscHoTEN FEED WATER REGULATOR Filed Sept. 2, 1922 Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT V. VEENSCHOTEN, F ERIE, 'PENNSYLVALN1A, ASSIGNR TO NORTHERN EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 0F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, .A CORPORATIGN OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

FEED-WATER REGULATOR.

tion or expansion of a tube which is connected and related to the boiler so that water normally stands in the tube at the same height as in the boiler. As a consequence, as the water sinks in the boiler and in the tube, the tube io will become hotter, owing to the water in the tube itself sinking and more steam entering, and the tube will then expand and cause more water to flow to the boiler by opening wider 'the feed-water valve; or the reverse process occurs when the water in the boiler rises. `@ne object of the invention is to provide a regulator that is more compact than the ordinary expansion tube regulator, so that the regulator can be installed in a smaller space. Another object of the invention is to provide suitable adjusting means so that the regulator can be conveniently adjusted to vary the amount of variation in water level which is normally provided for. A further object o'f the invention is to reduce to a minimum`the amount of condensed steam that flows into the expansion tube, so that the temperature of the water in the tube may be maintained as low as possible. Another object is to provide a more stable and rigid regulator.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a more or less diagrammatic elevation of a feed-water regulator system which embodies the features of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged central sectional view of a feed-water valve for the system Fig. 3 is a plan View of the regulator and Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same.

y As is common, the expansion tube 1 of the feed-water regulator system has an upper or steam head 2 connected to the steam space vof the boiler 3, by means of a pipe 4. The lower, or water head 5, of the expansion tube, is connected by pipes 6, 7 and 8, to the boiler below the normal water level therein. In this man ner, as is usual, the water level elevation in the tube l is at all times substantially the same as in the boiler; and this is indicated by means of the water gauge 9 in the ordinary manner. In this way the lower portion of the tube 1 is normally full of water and the upper portion is full of4 steam, and, as the water in the tube sinks or rises, the tube will expand or contract correspondingly and will thus control the flow of water in the following I manner:

The water-head 5 is fixed to a plate 10 by means of a support 29 and a screw rod 27. The plate 10 is fixed in position in any suitable manner, such as by being bolted to a fixed plank l1. A support 12 is also fixed to the plank, and two links 13 have their ends pivotedrespectively to the supports 12 and 29. In this manner the upper and the lower ends of these support-s 12 and 29 are iirmly held at all times the same distance apart. 'The upper end of the expansion tube is connected to the head 2 and this head as the tube expands or contracts, can move very slightly, but material upward or downward movement of the head is prevented by the pipe 4 and the lever 14, or 1n any other suitable maner. The lever 14 1s pivoted to the head 2, and the fulcrum of the lever 14 is connected to a tension rod 15 which has its ends respectively pivoted to the lever 14 and to the bracket 29 and the head 5. The lever 14 is also pivoted to the short arm of lever' 16-17 which is pivoted to the bracket 12; and the long arm 17 of this lever, is connected by suitable means, such as the chain 18, with the lever` 19 of the feed-water valve 20.. A weight 2l is mounted on the end of the arm 19 and this forces the arm downward, whenever the contraction of the tube 1 will permit, 33d thus tends to close the feed-water valve As is well understood, with this arrangement, as the tube 1 expands, the plunger 23 of the valve 20 will be raised more to allow more water to iiow through the feed-water pipe 22 to the boiler, any suitable means being used to provide a continuous supply of water in the pipe 22 at a pressure in excess of the pressure of the water and the steam in the boiler. Conversely, if the tube 1 contracts by the water rising therein, the plunger will be lowered more by the weight and the amount of water owing to the boiler will be decreased.

In order to provide a more compact regu lator than those ordinarily in use, I use a tube 1 somewhat shorter than is common and use a greater levera e between the tube and the plunger 23; and y properly constructing the system the increased stress thereon, due to the increased leverage, is provided for. To this end l provide a link 13 on each side of the lever 1617 and on each side of the waterhead 5 of the expansion tube. yAnd to the pivot 24 which pivots together the two links 13 and the water-head 5, I pivot one end of the rod 15, the upper end of this rod being pivoted to the lever 14. In this manner a very compact and powerful regulator is provided for which is so constructed that an enormous expansive force of the expansion tube will not cause injurious strains on the system.

The usual length of expansion tubes -for boiler feed-water regulators is in the neighborhood of five or six feet, yet by my arrangement tubes one-third'as long can he used, and,

by suitably adjusting the leverage the valve movement can be made as much as with the long tubes. And in order to reduce the force required to operate the valve I provide therefor the balanced plunger valve 23, so

constructed that there is no material unbalanced force at any time tending either to close or t0 open the valve, whatever its position may be.

The adjusting'means which I provide comprises means for adjusting the length of the rod 15. The turnbuckle 26 may be used for adjusting, in an ordinary manner, the length of the rod 15, and this will adjust the position of the valve plunger with reference to the free end of the tube 1. It is sometimes desirable, also, to adjust the inclination of the tube 1 as the inclination of this tube affects the range from the maximum to the minimum water level elevation in the boiler during normal operation. The reater the inclination of the tube to the horizontal, the greater the variation in water level in the boiler required to completely open or close the feed-water valve. Hence, if it is desired to reduce the total range in water-level variation in the boiler, the inclination of the tube is varied by varying the height of the head 5 by means of the screw-rod 27, which is rotatably mounted on the plate 10 and is threaded into the support 29 and locked thereto by means of the nut 34. As the links 13 and the lever 16-17 are pivoted to the support 12, this tipping of the system is merely a rotation on the pivot 30 of the triangle formed by the links and lever. To reduce any stress on the pipes 4 4 and 7 8 I provide rotary connections at right angles to the plane of the triangle between these respective pairsy of pipes. And also I connect the pipes 4 to the boiler by a double pair of elbows, or in some other suitable semi-flexible manner.

By this arrangement it will be seen that, with the exception of the levers, none of the members of the regulator proper are under any bending stress, as in operation they are all under either direct compression or direct tension. This prevents any bowing tendency, and eliminates the use of objectionable springs or the like.

In order to reduce the amount of con- Legnaia' densed water which passes downwardly through the expansion tube, Iy connect the head 2 and the water pipe 7 by a pipe 34. In this way all of the steam which condenses in the pipe 4 which connects the steam head 2 with the boiler, flows either back into the boiler or downwardly past the steam-head 2 into the water pipe 7. Thus the temperature of the water in the tube l1 is maintained materially lower than would be the case if this condensed steam assed down into the tube 1.

With this regu ator, as the load is applied on the free end of the arm 17 which is located between and on a line with the` bases 10 and 12 of the support, there is no tendency to tip v the regulator either longitudinally or transversely as would be the case if the load were a plied elsewhere. Further, as the lever arm 17) to which the load is applied is pivoted on the short rigid support 12, much reater side thrust is allowable than would e the case if the lever were supported` on the end of a long brace.

I claim as my invention:

1. A feed-water regulator comprising a thermostatic tube in combination with a feed- Water valve, means supporting one end of said tube, two levers, means pivotally connecting the fulcrum of each lever directly with said end, means fixed to the other end of said tube and pivotally connected with one of said levers, means operatively connecting the other lever with said valve, and means pivotally connecting said two levers, a triangle being formed by said tube, one of said levers and the means connecting the other lever to said fixed end, said triangle being approximately equilateral.

2. A feed-water regulator comprising a thermostatic tube in combination with a feedwater valve, means supporting one end of said tube, two levers, tension means pivotally connecting the fulcrum of each lever directly with said end, means fixed tothe other end of said tube and pivotally lconnected with one arm of one of said levers, means operatively connecting one arm of the other lever with said valve, means pivotally connecting the other arms of said two levers, said tension means and said connecting arms forming approximately an equilateral triangle.

3. A feed-water regulator, comprising a thermostatic tube in combination with a feedwaterI valve, means for supporting one end of said tube, means operatively connecting the other end of said tube with said valve, said tube being mounted at an inclination to the horizontal, and means for adjusting the elevation of one end of said tube.

4. A feed-water regulator in combination with a valve, said regulator comprising two spaced supports, an expansion tube, a first lever, said lever being pivoted to one of said supports, and bein operatively connected by a second lever with one end of said tube,

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thermostatic tube in combination with a feed-v Water valve, a support for supporting one end of said tube, a lever, a support for supporting the fulcruni of said lever, a second lever, the

said second lever being pivoted to the free end of said tube, and also being pivoted directly to one arm of said first mentioned lever, means operatively connecting the other arm of said lirst mentioned lever with said feed-water valve, and means connecting the tulcrum of said second lever with the supported end of said tube, the ulcrum and the pivoted points of said second lever lying substantially in a straight line.

6. A feed-water regulator comprising a thermostatic tube in combination with a feedwater valve, a support for supporting one end of said tube, a lever, a support for supporting the fulcrum of said lever, a second lever, the said second lever being pivoted to the free end of said tube, and also being pivoted directly to one arm of said first mentioned lever, means operatively connecting the other arm of said first mentioned lever with said feed-water valve, means connecting the fulcrum of said second lever with the supported end of said tube, means rigidly connecting the lower ends of said supports, and rigid means connecting the upper ends of said supports.

7. A feed-Water regulator comprising a thermostatic tube in combination with a feed-Water valve, a support for supporting one end of said tube, a lever, a support for supporting the fulcrum of said` lever, a second lever, the said second lever being pivoted to the free end of said tube, and also being pivoted directly to one arm of said rst mentioned lever, means operatively connecting the other arm of said first mentioned lever with said feed-Water valve, means connecting the fulcrum of said second lever with the supported end of said tube, means rigidly connectingthe lower ends of said supports, and rigid means connecting the upper ends of said supports, and means for adjusting the height of t-he support for supporting the end of said tube.

8. kA feed-Water regulator comprising a thermostatic tube in combination with a feed- Water valve, a support for supporting one end of said tube, a lever, a support for supporting the fulcrum of said lever, a second lever, the sai-d second lever being pivoted to the free end of said tube, and also being pivoted directly to one arm of said first mentioned lever, means operatively connecting the other arm of said first mentioned lever with said feed-Water valve, and means connecting the fulcrum of said second lever with the supported end of sai-d tube, said means connecting thek rst mentioned lever with said valve comprising a third lever, the fulcrum and the pivoted points of said second lever lying substantially in a straight line.

9. A feed-Water regulator in combination with a feed-water valve, said regulator comprising a thermostatic tube, means supporting one end of said tube, a first and a second lever, means connecting the fulcrum of sai-d first lever with the supported end of said tube, means connecting the said second lever with said supported end, means connecting the said second lever with one arm of said rst lever, means operatively connecting the other arm of said first lever with said valve, and means pivotally connecting the second lever vWith the other end. of said tube, the three connecting points of said second lever lying substantially in the same straight line.

l0. A feed-Water regulator in combination With a feed-water valve,said regulator comprising a thermostatic tube, a irst and a second lever, means connecting the fulcrums of said levers with one end of said tube, means connecting one arm of said first lever with said second lever, means connecting the other arm of said lirst lever with said feed-Water valve, and means pivotally connecting the said second lever with the other end of said tube, the three connecting points of said second lever lying substantially inthe same straight line.

11. A feed-water regulator comprising a thermostatic tube having one end fixed and the other relatively free in combination with a feed-water valve, a pair of operatively connected levers operatively connecting the free end of said tube with said valve, one of sai-d levers being pivoted to said free end, and tension rods connecting the respective Jfulcrums of'said levers with the other end of said tube, said tube, the lever connected thereto, and one of said rods, forming substantially a triangle, said latter rod being substantially as long as sai-d tube.

Intestimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand p VINCENT V. VEENSCHOTEN. 

